With a Vengeance
by GoTeam
Summary: Catherine discovers how much she really needs Sara. Chapter 6 NC17 part can be accessed at my site!
1. The Return of Eddie

Warning - this story contains scenes of a graphic nature. Please use your discretion wisely. Major Catherine whumping.  
  
Disclaimer: All characters are owned by someone else (i.e not me, unfortunately). Hopefully, no copyrights were breached in my making of this fic (I didn't mean to!) and I made no money doing this whatsoever. This is purely for my entertainment, instead of studying!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A night of peace and quiet. Catherine sighed as she sank into the squidgy sofa in her living room, kicking off her boots and allowing herself to relax for the first time in what seemed like days. Peace and quiet. Lindsey was away at camp for the weekend, and Catherine was ready to appreciate a relaxing night when the doorbell rang. Peace and quiet..famous last words.  
  
  
  
Grumbling to herself, she rose to get it. She was about to open it when she looked through the peephole, and her hand stopped, frozen on the doorknob. It was Eddie, looking drunk - well, more drunk than usual - and more than pissed off. Cursing herself for jinxing her good luck, she took a deep breath, slid the chain through the latch, and gingerly opened the door. She could handle this. She'd done it before.  
  
This time proved to be different. As soon as Catherine caught sight of the look on Eddie's face, she knew something wasn't right. Eddie spoke after a few moments, his words slurring as they rolled off his thick tongue. He smelled like musty alcohol and sex, a permanent odour he carried which Catherine had only noticed after the divorce.  
  
All of a sudden, he lunged for the door, sticking his hand through the glass. Catherine jumped, the glass shattering and landing in small crystals all over the floor.  
  
"What do you want, Eddie?" she asked, trying to keep her voice stern, but failing miserably. "I wan'you to pay f'what you did t'me," he shouted, and started kicking the door. "What do you mean, for Gods sake?" Catherine knew it didn't matter - he always got angry when he was drunk. She stood frozen for a moment before running and getting her service weapon from her jacket: Eddie meant business, and she couldnt take any chances. Before she could reach her coat, however, she heard the door give and Eddie come flying in. For someone steaming drunk, he didn't do badly keeping his balance, and soon was running through into Catherine's small living room. This time, she screamed.  
  
Catherine barely managed to make it to the bathroom before she threw up. Her head hurt like hell, and she couldn't breathe. Probably a broken rib, she thought, grimly. She wheezed as she tried to lower herself to the floor, a blinding miasma of black and white dots obscuring her vision. Her left arm was pressed tightly against her side, blood running down it and soaking into her ripped shirt. She was at the point of passing into blissful unconsciousness when she heard the front door bang open.  
  
God, no, she thought, thinking Eddie was back for more. Instead, she heard a shocked gasp as a pair of boots crushed the glass on the floor. The footsteps were light, too light to be Eddie's, and the pace was even. Who was there?  
  
  
  
"Catherine?"  
  
  
  
Oh, God.  
  
  
  
"Catherine? Are you there?"  
  
  
  
Sara. 


	2. A Little Assistance

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by someone else (i.e not me, unfortunately). Hopefully, no copyrights were breached in my making of this fic (I didn't mean to!) and I made no money doing this whatsoever. This is purely for my entertainment, instead of studying!  
  
  
  
"Come on!" Sara yelled at the traffic. She raised her hands in a helpless shrug and brought them back down on the wheel with a resigned thump. She was meant to be meeting Catherine to discuss Nick's birthday party, and Sara had spent extra time at the lab today, trying to get all the evidence she needed analysed, analysed. Happy that her report could now be filed, she was stuck in traffic.  
  
She honked her horn once more before turning on the radio. The soft strains of Tori Amos began to play, and Sara started to calm down. She really hated driving in rush hour.  
  
Half an hour later, she was walking up the path to Catherine's front door, or what was left of it. As she cautiously stepped inside, her boot crushed some shards of glass to powder.  
  
What the heck happened in here?  
  
Her hand instinctively reached for her gun as she started calling out for Catherine. When she saw a large pool of blood on the floor, she began to get worried.  
  
"Catherine? Where are you?" she called, hoping for a response. It was then she discovered the body lying next to the smashed up coffee table. She gasped when she realised it was Eddie, and though she didnt want to admit it, was glad he was unconscious.  
  
What did he do to her?  
  
Quickly scanning the room, she noted some blood drops on the edge of the coffee table. Catherine's gun lay on the floor several meters away. Her gun? Sara started down the corridor until she realised the bathroom light was dimly lit. Tapping on the door, she almost smashed it open with urgency.  
  
"Oh, my God," she exclaimed as soon as she had it open, dropping her gun and running straight for the unmoving form near the toilet.  
  
Catherine's face was deathly pale, the blood from her temple standing starkly out against the shocking white of her complexion. Her breathing was shallow, and Sara pressed her fingers to Catherine's wrist. Her pulse was thready and irregular.  
  
Laying her friend down as gently as she could, so as not to cause any further damage, she assessed the extent of the injuries before getting a towel to prop up Catherine's head. Just as she was about to go and call an ambulance, a hand weakly grabbed her arm.  
  
Sara almost jumped with fright.  
  
"Please...dont," asked Catherine, her voice scarily weak and vulnerable. Sara said that she had to, but, difficult though it was, decided against her better judgement. Her sudden protectiveness startled her; since when was she so concerned about Catherine? But she laid her feelings down to the circumstances.  
  
After getting some supplies from the kitchen, she quickly returned to the bathroom, only to find Catherine trying to get up.  
  
"Oh, no, you don't," she ordered, trying to get Catherine to lie back down. She was obviously agitated, a sign of a head injury. Catherine was surprisingly coherent, however. She shot Sara a death glare, or at least tried to, and Sara admired her friend's perseverance.  
  
"I didnt call anyone, so don't worry."  
  
She felt Catherine relax at that statement, the strained look on her face becoming less intense. She realised that Catherine was starting to get distracted, and tried to test her friend's eyesight. Reassured that the head wound was not serious, she turned her attention to unbuttoning her friend's shirt; she was pretty sure Catherine's ribs had been bruised, as she was having difficulty breathing. She gasped as the shirt gave way to reveal deep purple bruises colouring Catherine's ribcage, like some sick kind of artwork. She winced as she gently applied pressure to the area, her friend writhing in pain underneath her.  
  
"Catherine, I'm sorry, but I need to do this," she apologised, over and over again.  
  
  
  
"You're not feeling dizzy? Nauseous? Sick?"  
  
"No."  
  
"How about your arm? Can I have a look?"  
  
Catherine grudgingly held up her arm for inspection. She watched as Sara reached for some antiseptic and cotton wool. Her movements seemed oddly elegant and fluid-like. She started to drift off, before Sara roughly jolted her awake.  
  
"Catherine, I need you to stay awake for me, k?"  
  
Catherine dumbly nodded her head. She tried not to grimace when Sara started cleaning her wounds, but it hurt. Sara winced, but soon she was finished.  
  
Sara sat down and sighed. She smoothed back Catherine's hair for a moment before deciding that she really had to move her patient. However, the problem still remained of what to do with Eddie. Deciding not to move her friend for the time being, she opened the bathroom door and walked silently down the hall. Eddie wasn't there, and the door moved slightly in the breeze. She wasn't sure where he was, but as long as he wasn't here - that man scared her. Reaching the kitchen, she splashed her face with cold water, trying to calm her nerves slightly. Then, with wobbly legs, she made her way back to the bathroom. Catherine was still unconscious, and Sara allowed herself to watch her friend for a couple of minutes. She looked so peaceful, like an angel, but marred with bloody contusions and bruises. The regular rhythm of her breathing reassured Sara - she had been so worried about her friend that she hadn't had time to think about how much Catherine actually meant to her until now.  
  
Carefully, she picked Catherine up, and, with no difficulty, carried her through to the bedroom - she was as light as a feather. She rooted through Catherine's drawers until she found what she was looking for - some loose pyjamas. Carefully, so as not to wake her up, Sara managed to change Catherine and tuck her into bed. She left the room and returned with a book, some painkillers, a basin, and an extra blanket. Then, taking off her shoes, she slipped into bed beside her, keeping a slight distance between herself and the sleeping form of her friend. She read for the rest of the night. 


	3. The Morning After the Night Before

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by someone else (i.e not me, unfortunately). Hopefully, no copyrights were breached in my making of this fic (I didn't mean to!) and I made no money doing this whatsoever. This is purely for my entertainment, instead of studying!  
  
Catherine awoke feeling like crap. Her head pounded and it hurt to breathe. She was momentarily distracted and a little disoriented by the feeling of softness and warmth surrounding her bruised and aching body. She cracked an eye open against the white light streaming in the window. All of a sudden, she realised what had happened and bolted straight up - a big mistake. Sara was jarred awake by the sudden gasp of pain coming from beside her and the movement of the bed. Cursing herself for dozing off, she soon realised what had woken her - Catherine. She was sitting with her knees tucked to her chest, having difficulty breathing.  
  
"Cath? Catherine? Can you hear me?" Sara asked, unable to keep her anxiety out of her voice.  
  
"Yeah," Catherine gasped out, "I didn't lose my hearing overnight." It took a second for Sara to realise that Catherine had actually made a joke, and nervously exhaled.  
  
"Seriously, Catherine, are you okay?" Sara asked, skirting around the obvious question until she made sure Catherine was alright. She put a hand to Catherine's forehead, avoiding the nasty laceration still starkly evident. "How about your ribs? Do you want some painkillers?" Sara asked, relieved that Catherine didn't have a temperature. "Actually, that would be nice," Catherine said, the realisation of what had happened last night sinking in. She was starting to feel extremely sore and was glad Sara was there. She was pretty sure Sara had been the one to comfort her when she had thrown up during the night, though she hadn't realised it at the time; she vaguely remembered a cool hand on her brow when she felt hot as well. While that part of the night was a blur, she couldn't forget what had happened previously. Terror struck her, and she grabbed Sara's arm as she was leaving for the bathroom.  
  
"You didn't..." Catherine rasped, but before she could say any more, Sara said "No, I didn't" and gently pushed her back onto the bed. "I didn't tell anybody...except I had to tell Grissom that something had come up and we wouldn't be in to work for a couple of days. He said we needed a break anyway, and since things are kinda quiet right now, he was more than obliging to give us a breather." Catherine sighed as she sank once more into the bed, her head swimming with emotions and thoughts. What would Sara think of her now? What happened to Eddie? What about Lindsey? What about her work? It was as if Sara read her mind...or at least the look of consternation on her friend's face. "Don't worry about anything, it's all taken care of." Sara laid a soothing hand on Catherine's head, smoothing back her hair and tucking her in. For some reason, Catherine felt extremely comforted by the small touches and reassurances, and while Sara was out the room, managed to relax a little for the first time after the incident.  
  
Sara returned a little while later, a glass of water in her hand. Catherine watched as Sara bent gracefully to retrieve the bottle of aspirin by the bed. Sara could feel Catherine's eyes on her, and turned to face her, bottle in hand. She could see that Catherine was a little flushed, but she almost laughed at the sight she saw. "You look like an eskimo in that comforter," she laughed lightly. Catherine did, indeed, look quite a picture: the thick duvet was loosely draped around her, and her hair was sticking out in all directions. Sara was glad when Catherine laughed - she had been trying to lighten the mood, and she hadn't expected a response. Then again, this was Catherine - the laughing, joking friend she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hurt. It was as if a chord was struck deep within Sara - she genuinely cared about her friend, but was incredibly angry with Eddie. She clenched her jaw slightly when she thought of him, but pushed her feelings out of the way for the present.  
  
"Here you go," she said, handing Catherine the pills. "Thanks, Sara," said Catherine, pausing, as if she wanted to say more. Sara gave her a minute to collect her thoughts. "I owe you a lot, Sara. I don't know quite what happened last night, but I'm sure as hell glad you came. Thank you." Sara didn't know what to say in reply - instead, she just put her arms around her friend, hugging her close, wanting to make her feel loved. It seemed to work, as Catherine's body relaxed in her arms, and it soon became evident that she was asleep. Planting a chaste kiss on her friend's head, Sara tucked her in once more, then hesitated. Eventually, she decided to join Catherine, feeling more than a little tired after the events of the previous evening caught up with her. She curled up beside the smaller woman, half-consciously draping a protective arm over the other woman's abdomen. Moments later, she was asleep too. 


	4. CareTaker

Disclaimer - see part 1  
  
Sara didn't want to leave. She felt safe, secure, and extremely comfortable in Catherine's slightly too-warm bed. She relaxed, listening to the easy, slow breathing beside her. She hadn't moved since she'd woken up, not wanting to disturb her bedmate, and revelling in the feel of Catherine's smooth, warm stomach against her hand. Sara still couldn't believe someone wanting to hurt this amazing woman, someone she had only realised she cared so much about in the last 24 hours.  
  
*Jeez, whats wrong with you, Sidle? Its like you're in love with her or something.*  
  
Then again, that was a distinct possibility; the thought that she loved her colleague had stuck firmly in her subconscious most of the night, resulting in Catherine being in many of her quite pleasant dreams.  
  
She was interrupted from her reverie by Catherine stirring.  
  
"Morning, sleeping beauty," she whispered, half-joking, half-loving. She hoped Catherine didn't notice the slight husky tone in her voice. The pang she felt when Catherine opened her eyes confirmed her suspicions: she was in love.  
  
"Hey," grumbled Catherine, still sounding weary but better for the long rest she had had.  
  
"What time is it?" she asked, looking for her watch but not seeing it.  
  
"2:30," replied Sara, looking at her battered Baby-G. She noticed that Catherine was not in the least concerned about moving, even though she was pressed flush against Sara's breasts, and Sara had a leg in between hers. Sara put this down to caution: she probably didn't want to jar her wounds.  
  
"How are you feeling?" she asked, looking for any signs of distress.  
  
"Actually, a whole lot better, thanks to you," said Catherine, a light smile gracing her features and making the previous night seem ages away. Sara had to smile in reply; Catherine's cheerful demeanor always managed to make her happy, especially now that everything seemed to be okay. They were still talking in hushed tones, but neither knew why. It seemed like an eternity before either spoke or broke eye contact.  
  
"I need to get Lindsey," Catherine stated, not looking like she was going to move; looking like she needed to say something to fill the silence. "Shes still at Rachel's house." Sara was still gazing into her eyes when it finally registered that Catherine had said something.  
  
"Oh, right," she said, jolting herself back to reality. *Never in a thousand years* she thought, before making a move to disentangle herself. "I'll go get her." Before she could get far, a hand rested on her arm and gently held her back.  
  
"I want to say thank you for everything, Sara," said Catherine, looking Sara straight in the eye with something her friend couldn't quite place. "I really mean it."  
  
She pulled Sara into as tight an embrace as she could manage, and kissed her cheek before reluctantly pulling away. Sara thought she could see something of her own lust reflected in those fantastic blue orbs, and returned Catherine's kiss with one on the lips. She was glad when Catherine didn't pull away, and instead returned the kiss, starting to take it further. Sara moaned at the feeling of Catherine's lips against hers, reveling in the intensity of their shared kiss and shared love. *Why didn't I do this earlier?* However, as Catherine tried to move, she had to pull away with a gasp as she pressed against forgotten bruises and scrapes.  
  
"I'm sorry," said Sara, immediately concerned.  
  
"For what?" asked Catherine, a devilish smile appearing through a haze of pain. "In a way, I'm glad this happened."  
  
Sara could only nod her head mutely in agreement, before placing one last kiss on Catherine's forehead, tucking her quickly tiring friend -*even girlfriend*- into bed.  
  
"I'll be back soon," she promised, sweeping an errant strand of strawberry- blonde hair from Catherine's face. Oh, how she loved this woman! But Catherine was already dozing by the time she had got the address, and fast asleep by the time she reached the door. 


	5. Crazy in Love

Disclaimer - see part 1  
  
Sara could hardly believe it. As if in a trance, she put her trembling fingers to her slightly swollen lips to confirm the events that had just played out. *Holy shit, girl* Did Catherine feel the same way about her? she wondered, her mind barely concentrating on the road in front of her. That kiss had been.....She knew it sounded like the understatement of the century, but she had been taught that sometimes the simplest answer was the best. That kiss had beenIamazing/I. Just that simple contact had set Sara's insides on fire, sending magma through her veins at just the thought of Catherine's lips. She couldn't believe how everything had changed in just 24 hours.  
  
A honk brought her thoughts back to the road. As she pulled up in front of Rachel's house, her mind was still on the beautiful woman no doubt awaiting her return.  
  
"Sar!" cried Lindsey, as soon as she saw her mom's friend at the door.  
  
"Come here, sweetheart," Sara said, pulling the little girl in for a hug. "Did you have fun?"  
  
"You bet!"  
  
"I could barely get them to sleep last night!" Rachel's mother, Kathy, said. Sara grinned as she remembered what an active kid Lindsey was, remembering the last time she had babysat her. "Not that it's not nice to see you, but where's Catherine?"  
  
"She couldn't make it. Its kinda busy at work at the moment," Sara lied through her teeth. She hated having to do this, but she knew that the last thing Catherine wanted was someone fussing over her and Lindsey getting worried. *Come to think of it, I don't know what to tell Lindsey...* A solution, however, presented itself.  
  
"You know, Lindsey could stay another night if Catherine's busy," Kathy said. "She seemed to have a great time with Rachel last night."  
  
"Please, Auntie Sara, please?" Lindsey begged, tugging at Sara's hand.  
  
"It's not really up to me, kiddo," she said, uncertain as to whether Catherine wanted her daughter home or not. However, in her current state, Sara was sure she wouldn't mind Lindsey staying somewhere safe for the time being. *At least Eddie won't know she's here* she hoped. "Then again....I suppose it would be okay for you to stay another night or two..."  
  
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Lindsey gushed, before running into the back yard again. Sara and Kathy shared a smile at her enthusiasm, before Sara decided she had better return home. *To Catherine* she thought.  
  
"Are you sure I can't get you anything?" Kathy asked, but Sara politely declined.  
  
"I'd better let Catherine know what's going on. Thanks, though, and thank you for letting Lindsey stay."  
  
"You're more than welcome. Tell Catherine I said hi will you?"  
  
"Sure thing," Sara beamed. "When would you like me to pick Lindsey up?"  
  
"How about Thursday? That gives Cath a bit of peace and quiet for a couple of days!"  
  
"Thanks again," said Sara, before waving goodbye and returning to her car.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^  
  
Catherine was half sprawled on the settee when she finally returned, carrying two Frappucinos.  
  
"Hey, you're up!" said Sara, glad to see Catherine up and about. "I thought you might like one of these. I know you like the coconut ones."  
  
"Thanks, Sara," said Catherine, gratefully accepting her icy treat from her layout on the sofa.  
  
"I popped into the office to make sure everything was okay, before I was shooed out," said Sara.  
  
"I'm not surprised, you're hardly away from the place!" said Catherine, before gesturing for Sara to join her on the couch. Sara was still a little unsure of their bearings after that morning's kiss, but was quickly put at ease by Catherine.  
  
"Hold me?"  
  
"Of course," Sara replied, her heart beating a mile a minute. She settled into a corner of the couch, before Catherine gently relaxed into her, her smaller stature placing the top of her head in the crook of Sara's neck. *A perfect fit*.  
  
"Kathy called me a little while ago," Catherine said, quietly, her tired body at ease with the support behind her. She loved the feeling of Sara around her; her warmth, her own particular scent, the way her soft brown hair tickled her arm.  
  
"I would've called, but I didn't know if you would be up," said Sara. "I thought you might want some more rest". Her tones were similar to Catherine's: hushed, reflective, loving. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, enjoying the feel of each other's body. A silent exploration and tentative formulations of what to do next.  
  
Catherine made up her mind, and, throwing caution to the wind, said "Kiss me?" Her voice sounded more desperate than joking.  
  
Sara's face barely changed as she bent her head downwards. They stayed like that for a little while, their mouths inches from each other, sharing air. Catherine's breathing steadily quickened as she felt Sara's feather- light touch against her healing bruised ribs. It was amazing how sensitized she'd become in such a short time, as the slow, deliberate action caused her heart rate to increase rapidly. Gently, Catherine surged forward and claimed Sara's lips. They tasted the same as last time: light, slightly fruity, and absolutely delicious. She groaned as she felt Sara's tongue gently demanding entrance to her mouth, and she obeyed quickly. Sara quickly claimed Catherine's mouth as her own, and Catherine found the experience of being dominated in such a gentle and loving manner incredibly erotic. She moaned as Sara's tongue slid easily against hers, exploring her mouth thoroughly. Sara's hands caught in her short hair, pulling Catherine even closer to her as she continued to kiss her with all her heart.  
  
*This feels so right* she thought, amazed at the effect the kiss seemed to be having on both of them. She dimly felt Catherine's hands clutching at her thighs, before moving under her ass and squeezing in time to the movement of their tongues. Both women could barely contain their growing excitement at the sensations they were experiencing, neither having felt anything like it before. Eventually, they had to pull away, the need for oxygen becoming very apparent. *Catherine looks gorgeous when she's just been kissed* Sara thought, looking into very glazed azure eyes and spotting very smudged and swollen lips.  
  
"Oh, God," Catherine groaned, practically collapsing against Sara's heaving chest. "I think I'm in love with you."  
  
"Does it count if I say ditto?" Sara asked, half-joking.  
  
Catherine smiled. 


	6. I'll Be Back

Disclaimer - see Part 1  
  
At approximately 4:18 the next morning, a loud banging could be heard at the door, followed by a slurred shouting of "Catherine!" Catherine jerked up immediately, recognizing Eddie's voice, even under the thick cover of inebriation. Sara felt her jerk up almost painfully, before she heard the noise downstairs. In their close proximity, Sara could feel Catherine trembling, and didn't blame her. The last time she had seen him..... Sara quickly tried to forget about the consequences of their last meeting. Instead, she quietly got out of bed and reached for her holster, sitting on a chair in the corner of the bedroom.  
  
"Sara, don't please," Catherine said, voice trembling but determined. "Don't go down there."  
  
Sara kissed her quickly before promising that she wouldn't open the door past it's chain, and would try and get rid of Eddie, with her gun if she had to.  
  
"It doesn't matter what you do, he's drunk. He doesn't care."  
  
"Catherine, he could have killed you last time. I'm not gonna let that happen again. No one should ever hurt you like that. You understand me?" Sara's voice carried a deadly serious threat to anyone who begged to differ. She loved Catherine too much to lose her to a drunken bum like Eddie.  
  
"I promise, I'll be back."  
  
Before Catherine could protest further, she switched on the hall light and went downstairs, as normally as she possibly could. Acting as terrified as she felt would give Eddie the advantage.  
  
"Oh, it's you," she said, feigning surprise. Sara didn't really know Eddie, and didn't know what course to take, so she started with a little sarcasm to see how he reacted.  
  
She didn't expect was the violent reaction she received. Eddie started to kick the door, almost screaming in rage. "Where the hell's Catherine? That stupid bitch, she'll use you like she used me!" He stopped to wipe the spittle from his stubbly chin. Sara fancied she could smell him, even though she was a good 10 feet away.  
  
"Catherine isn't here right now, but I am. I suggest you back off before I call the cops."  
  
Eddie did not seem perturbed by this threat. Apparently, Catherine had tried this tack before and it hadn't worked.  
  
"Listen, lady, why don't you let me in?" he yelled, a moronic grin plastered on his face. Sara didn't know if he was trying to be charming, but she wouldn't be surprised if he was. Perhaps he had been charming at one point - after all, Catherine did marry him - but Sara suspected that all charm was lost after he returned to his usual, drunken state.  
  
"No chance in hell," Sara said, trying to keep a quiver out of her voice but failing quite spectacularly. She fingered the cool metal of her gun tucked into the waistband of her pants, and it calmed her considerably. She didn't know why, though: Catherine had been armed, but Eddie had beaten her pretty badly before she could retaliate properly. *Maybe she didn't want to shoot him* she mused.  
  
This seemed to irritate Eddie even more. The panes of glass in the side windows distorted his face into something monstrous, and Sara jumped when he slammed his fist against one of the panes. Since his last forced entry, the panes had been replaced with thicker glass, so logically, Sara should have found no reason to be scared. She was scared shitless.  
  
In a jerky movement, she brought the gun around in front of her, solidifying her stance. She was so concentrated on Eddie that she didn't hear the light footsteps down the stairs.  
  
Sara made an issue of clicking off the safety. She stared Eddie firmly in the eye, something she knew he wouldn't like, and silently dared him to come in and get her.  
  
The next thing she knew, there was a loud bang from behind her, and a hole in the door, a few inches from Eddie's head. Startled, she span around, and saw Catherine on the stairs, standing solidly and unafraid.  
  
"Eddie, leave us alone before I move my target a little closer to that thick head of yours."  
  
*Us*. Sara felt a quiet rush of emotion slip past unwarranted at the simple word, before she aimed her gun at Eddie once more. She couldn't believe it, but Eddie looked genuinely scared. Perhaps the shot had sobered him a little, or perhaps he was unused to such strong opposition; either way, he realized he was outnumbered, and backed off, stumbling a little on the steps, arms raised in clumsy surrender. Once he had retreated into the cover of inky blackness, he felt safe enough to utter some sort of 'damaging' retort, but the women inside paid no attention.  
  
Slowly lowering her gun, Sara clicked the safety catch on. She looked at Catherine, and saw the woman she had seen at their first meeting: stoic, determined, and undefeatable. It seemed as if the mask was back in place, and Sara truly didn't know how Catherine felt at that moment. Over the past couple of years, Catherine had started to open up to Sara, and vice versa: both had seen each other's bad days and learned from them. Catherine dropped her gun without a sound, and it clattered down the steps to land a few below her. The strain of her position had caused her ribs to ache again, and she put a hand to her side in an attempt to alleviate the pain.  
  
Sara said nothing, but led her upstairs once more, not caring about the gaping hole in the door. She retrieved a roll of bandages from Catherine's bathroom cupboard, and sat Catherine down on the bed. She still hadn't said anything, and remained silent as Sara gently took off her shirt and wrapped her ribs tenderly. This unspoken act of trust warmed Sara, but at the same time, her friend's laconic attitude was slightly unnerving. She urged Catherine into bed, and was in the process of returning the bandages to the bathroom, when she felt a solid grasp upon her upper arm.  
  
"Stay," Catherine whispered, her voice suddenly husky with emotion, and what Sara believed to be lust. It reflected in Catherine's eyes, in her very soul, and Sara couldn't resist it. The bandages forgotten, she returned to the bed. As Catherine started taking off her shirt with sudden enthusiasm, she wondered if she was taking advantage of the woman underneath her. Catherine suddenly rolled Sara over, so that she was straddling the taller woman, and started grinding her hips slowly and deliberately against Sara's. *Or maybe not.*  
  
AN: Thanks for all the feedback! I know some people were asking about Eddie's return, and although he doesn't seem to do much in this chapter, he'll be back later. The NC-17 part will be posted at my site soon! Thanks for reading ( 


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